The invention concerns a roller used in a device for processing a filter material ribbon in the tobacco-processing industry, the roller including a roller core and a covering for the roller core. The invention further concerns the use of such a roller. In addition, the invention concerns a device and a method for processing at least one filter material ribbon in the tobacco-processing industry with at least one roller having a roller core and at least one covering for the roller core.
A device of this type is disclosed in European Patent document No. EP 654 224 B1. For the production of filter rods in the tobacco-processing industry, a filter-material ribbon, the so-called filter tow, of a composite fiber material such as cellulose acetate is continuously pulled from a supply, for example a bale. The tow is then spread out, is stretched and sprayed with a solvent, for example triacetin, is subsequently gathered on the side, conveyed to a blast air nozzle and then supplied to a funnel. The processed and compacted filter tow is supplied from there to a filter strand-forming machine. In the filter strand-forming machine, the ribbon that is shaped into a filter strand is continuously enveloped with an enveloping material tape and is compacted further. The filter rods are subsequently cut from the enveloped filter strand.
Known processing devices of the above-described type are manufactured and sold by the assignee of the present application under the designation AF 1, AF 2 and AF 3. Further, known filter strand-forming machines of the above-described type are manufactured and sold by the assignee of the present application under the designation KDF 2 and KDF 3.
In the filter-processing device, the filter tow is transported, stretched and gathered with the aid of roller pairs. In the process, the filter tow is guided between the contacting rollers of a roller pair. In general, one roller of the pair of rollers is provided with a rigid, grooved surface, which makes contact with a resilient, rubbery surface and/or covering on the other roller. During the filter strand production, these rubber-covered rollers are subjected to a gradual, hardly noticeable wear of the covering. However, the roller covering wear clearly affects the filter quality after a specified production interval because the filter tow can no longer be transported and gathered to the required and desired degree.